Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1887-10-20
THE LAND OF SHE.
A Romantic Trip to the Mountains Gate
Montana.


Montana.
Comparatively few of Helena's popu-
laticn says the Helena IndeDeRdeHt,
ere aware of the existence of the great
scenic resort distant from this city
about eighteen miles in a northerly
direction, and know as Hilger's ranch
or the Mountains Gate. Much has
been spoken of the locality by the few
who have been favored with a visit to
the attractive spot, and at times their
reports have been looked upon merely
as eXaggerations, many not being in.
cliued to believe in the grandeur agd
sublimity of the view as pictured. A
personal yistto the premises, however,
will dispel all doubts instead a scene of
awe and wonder greets the eye which
almost battles description Allis true
that has been depicted of it, and one
visits but an appetizer for future trips.
A good wagon road, romantic in APP
pearance, leads thereto permitting
the voyage to be made in about three
hours. Emerging from canyon, the
mighty Missouri and the humble
though delightful country home of Mr.
Hilger, pleasantly situated on the east
| bank of the great stream, and n broad
expanse of grassy fields and heavily
timbered slopes spread before the eve
Of tbs tourist. forming a panorama
| grand in the extreme. An hours's halt
at the coy farmhouse, where one is
treated right royalty by the genial host
and his most hospitable family, and
the little steel cruiser Rose of Helena
is in readiness, and, all prepared she
steams out into the broad and swift
current on her way through the wonder
full gorge so APPLY named. The dimin-
utive vessel, though appearing little
/ larger than an ordinary skih, is a
| marvel of mechanism, and said to be
| the only craft manufactured which
| has successfully breasted the powerful
| currents of the upper river. Con-
structcd entirely of steel-plates, pro-
| PEELED by a small but powerful engine
driving with force stern wheel of
! peculiar construction, proves q most
| formidable subject for blowing the
stubborn stream. Judge Hilger ably
| handles the rudder, steering its course
! through the tortuous and circuitous
route, bringing the bounding tug
through with safety to any desired
point. Mr.. Reece, the adiposian en-
gineer, admirably handles the valves
| and levers with n self-satisiied air, and
! smiles complacently at the casual un-
easincss expressed by some when round
ing sharp bend or ascending turbu-
lent rapids. Pleasing and genial withal,
! he becomes an immediate fayorite with
! the v0yagers, his Ealstailian presence
adding jollity to the occasion. On
speeds the boat through the narrow
| detile revealing yawning chasms on
| either side of the river, the escaping
smoke from the steamers funnel leay-
! inc dense black outline in the azure
| sky a grim indicator of the path taken.
browning walls of rock are en-
| coantcred, their turreted battlemeuts
reaching far into the heavens, each
| turn in the river revealing new
wonders. Winding along in its sinu-
/ osity the stream is encased on either
side with castellated walls and great
cliffs Of solid granite, towering columns
and arches, dismal and uneXplored
! cayerns whose entrances even have
never been traversed by man, mythical
! castles, heaven pointing steeples and
spires, all standing ike gigantic
| sentinels on the outpost of the rock
! bound home of some tabled giant.
! The whole scene, novel and marvel
Gus weird, grand, and majestic, is such
| that can but be compared with the views
described in fiction. Here, apparently,
| rocks have been uphcaved by the
violence Of nature and forced to a sub
| lime height which before cooling
were ,culpturcd and chiseled out in
the blue sky in designs known only to
the gods.
With slight tax on the magma
ton faces, forms. and figures can be
easily di>cerned, and the weird fan.
| tastes OF the brain and the sketches of
the vague borderings of the dark
! Plutonian shore as seen only in vivid
| minds are brought to view A voice,
/ whether aloud or in Il whisper, rever-
bcrates from cliff to cliff, and a laugh
| is sent back from mountain peak as
/ though echoing in mimic defiance the
! lmpenetrability Of the surrounding
! heights. Such in brief is a description
of the land here endeayored 10 por-
| tray, and be it the Switzerland of
America or the phantom precints of
! She, the fact remains that we have
within easy access Of Helena n locality
which in Justice to ones self should
| not be overlooked, especially when the
advantages offered for its inspection
\ are so favorable. During the fall
months nature is at its best, and
| pleasure-seekers can act no wiser than
to avail themselves of the opportunity
suggested in visiting the spot, rs be-
| fore long the mighty ice king, who dis
| plays his herculean power by block
aiding with barriers of adamantiuc ice,
viii have sealed for months to come
and made impossible the entrance to